Hi, I have a 06 f250 with a 5.4 in it. 336000 kms. About 250000ish miles.
The engine died on me towing my 5-6k lb cargo trailer to work.
Codes say drivers side cylinders are not working as well as a bunch of other codes. Both ford and my mechanic friend said she's cooked.
I need to be towing ASAP, but my budget is limited. I would like to get a used 5.4. I know very little about these motors.
I am wondering if any 5.4 works in place of mine. There are a couple of f150 5.4 's available in my area.
What do I need to know? As well any other options, advice or knowledge would be much appreciated.

 

The 5.4L in the '06 F250 is a 3V engine. So possible donors include '05-'10 Super Duty, '04-'10 F150, and '05-'10 Expedition (some one will correct me if I am wrong). You will likely need to swap some parts from your current engine if the donor is not another Super Duty. Possibly, Lincoln Navigator starting in '05.

 

Thanks tawells, my engine search starts tomorrow. I've never shopped for anything like this before. It should be interesting.

 

Not sure what part of BC you are in but there are a few on Car-Part.com in Burnaby, Cumberland, Prince George, 100-mile house etc. Check both under '06 Super Duty and. F150.

 

Thanks a bunch! I'm very close to burnaby. I'll check that site out.

 

They list things as compatible if they are direct drop-ins. I know for the older 2-valve motors the differences between F150 and Super Duty were things like the timing chain cover, some of the pulleys, the belt tensioner. All of which can be used from your current engine.

 

I found a decent used motor from an 05 f150. The fellow selling it said he thought it would not work because of the computer.
Does anyone know if that is the case?

 

The following is to the best of my knowledge.

2005 F150 should have a 3-valve 5.4 L. So the block and heads should be the same as your '06 super duty. The F150 computer will not work in you F250, so you just reuse your old one. Other differences may include the wiring harness, throttle body, exhaust manifolds, front cover, belt tensioner, harmonic balancer, flywheel/flexplate?, oil pan, and some of the sensors.

Anything that is different you reuse from your current engine.

I will research it a bit more and post again, but maybe someone else will chime in and tell me I am full of it or confirm what I am saying.

I was told a 5.4L out of an '02 expedition would not work in a '99 super duty. I have put 12,000 trouble free miles on that '02 motor.

 

Unless you're going to switch all your existing engine management components and sensors onto the donor motor all wiring harnesses will need to be transferred so they follow the engine. This would include the ECM, its wiring to the engine and of course the engine harness too.

There are sometimes major differences in the pin-out locations of circuits between years and series----this is a very important thing to keep in mind.

 

Thanks for the info. Sounds like a 150 version could be a big pain in the butt.
Motors are very expensive here in the great white north. The options I've found so far are:
1- used engine $3500 or $4500 installed. 72000 miles. O6 f250 5.4l. Exactly the same as my truck. (Local wrecker)
2 - price negotiable, Chinese guy ready to deal, but it is from an f150, still attached to rest of truck. The motor doesn't tick, but 140000 miles. It's a lariat that does not look like a work truck.
3 - Remanufactured motor, built locally, 4500 + install $1000. Full warranty.
4 - I keep looking at wreckers. My only concern is what I and most people do with their super dutys tends to beat up these motors fairly well. Even a low mileage one from a SD is more likely to have been over worked. I think.
5 - have my engine rebuilt?
I tow a small 6 x 12 cargo trailer, 5-6k lbs most days a week, and my 8 1/2 x 20 car hauler, about 8k lbs.

What do you guys think?
Thanks again!

 

The results of my parts comparison research.

'05 F150 5.4L vs '06 F250 5.4L

The following are the same:
Block
Heads
Camshaft covers
Intake manifold
Knock sensor
Camshaft position sensor
Crankshaft position sensor
Belt tensioner
Idler Pulley
Water pump pulley
Harmonic balancer
Cylinder head temperature sensor
PCV valve
Throttle body
Throttle position sensor
Throttle body motor
Right exhaust manifold
Fuel rail
Injectors
COPS

The following are different:
(1) Some of the vacuum lines
(2) Wiring harness
(3) Left exhaust manifold
(4) Engine mounts
(5) PCM

Most likely different:
(6) Oil Pan
(7) Oil pick-up tube
(8) Oil relocation adapter
(9) Throttle body elbow or spacer
(10) Timing Cover

Assuming the "most likely different" are different. With the F250 motor pulled from the truck leaving the PCM, (5) above, in the truck. Swap (1)-(4) from the F250 motor on to the F150 motor, drink a beer. Swap (6)-(9) from the F250 motor on to the F150 motor. About an hours worth of work with the beer included, a bit longer if it is a good beer. Ok, may be a little longer. You may need to swap the timing covers. They appear to have different part numbers. Why when everything that goes on them is the same? Beats me. Took longer to compile the information for this message and post it than to turn an '05 F150 5.4L into and '06 F250 5.4L.

Hope you get it running soon. Sucks to have your truck down.

By the way check with Ford if you are thinking remanufactured, full engine assemblies $4932 in US.

 

Awesome info tawells. Obviously inserting the beer at those points will be key. Lol 🍻

 

No problem. I did edit that info. Don't know if you saw it. The timing covers may need to be swapped as well.

And you weren't kidding that motors are expensive in BC. Those motor used go for about $2700-$2800 here in Colorado. Any chance you can bring one in from Washington?

My '02 Expedition motor was $1600 (46,000 miles) and it was on a pallet in a warehouse and I have a one year warranty.

My best advice is get the best value far your dollar. That may mean a F150 or Expedition motor and little more work to swap things over.

 

Well, it looks like I found a motor. From an 08 super duty, 90k kms for $1250. Catch so far is that the guy selling it doesn't have the key. He says he will write me a 30 day warrantee in case it's a dud. A shop called Canada Engines has quoted me 1100 w/o fluids for the swap. I thought a very reasonable price. Apparently they do quite a few 5.4 swaps.
I'm gonna go have a peek at the motor tonight or tomorrow morning. Without hearing it run, is there anything I can look for to determine if its decent or not?

 

That is a good price for the motor. I can't believe how low the labor cost is as well. Local shops here want $1400 (labor only) to put a motor in a Toyota Corolla.

Try to get the warranty to be 30 days parts and labor. If guy will warranty labor he is pretty confident it will run.

I assume it is a wrecked truck. My first rule is - if it is a rollover, I walk away. The engine could have significant damage if it was running while inverted.

I look for obvious fluid leaks. If it still has the fluids in it, take a look at the coolant and oil. You are looking for signs of neglect as well as coolant in the oil or oil in the coolant, etc. Sometimes I pull the plugs and inspect them as well. Most importantly see if you can turn the motor by hand. I usually put a socket (18 mm - I think) and breaker bar on the crankshaft bolt and try to turn the motor clockwise a couple of revolutions. You may need to remove the belt. Once I have a motor out of the vehicle, I usually pull the camshaft covers and drop the oil pan and look for obvious signs of wear and sludge.